


Stand Up

by carrionkid



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Light Angst, Post-Episode: s07e08 Hearts Still Beating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 10:25:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8887342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrionkid/pseuds/carrionkid
Summary: I love Carl a lot?? He's been through so much n he's just a kid. This is the aftermath of Sing Me A Song and Hearts Still Beating catching up with him and him realizing he's still just a 14 yr old. Rick is still being a Good Dad n there's a mention of mom Michonne bc I love her.--Rick waits until he hears the engine of Negan’s truck start, then the familiar click of the gate shutting, before he moves again. He makes a beeline for the porch, deliberately avoiding looking at the pool of blood on the ground. Flecks of blood stain the white wooden porch and Olivia stirs where she lays on the ground. Rick crouches down and whispers an apology before stabbing his knife into her temple. Carl still has his back pressed up against the waist high wall surrounding the porch, his knees are pulled in towards his chest and he’s staring ahead almost blankly.“What the hell did you do?” Rick’s angry but he tries to mask that in his voice as much as he can. Carl blinks, then jerks his hand up to pull his hair farther down over his missing eye.





	

Rick waits until he hears the engine of Negan’s truck start, then the familiar click of the gate shutting, before he moves again. He makes a beeline for the porch, deliberately avoiding looking at the pool of blood on the ground. Flecks of blood stain the white wooden porch and Olivia stirs where she lays on the ground. Rick crouches down and whispers an apology before stabbing his knife into her temple. Carl still has his back pressed up against the waist high wall surrounding the porch, his knees are pulled in towards his chest and he’s staring ahead almost blankly.

 

“What the hell did you do?” Rick’s angry but he tries to mask that in his voice as much as he can. Carl blinks, then jerks his hand up to pull his hair farther down over his missing eye.

 

“I-I’m so,” his voice cracks and Rick can see tears welling up in his son’s eye, “s….sorry.” 

 

Carl makes a noise like he’s choking then starts sobbing, “Don’t… Don’t be mad. Please… Don’t be mad.” 

 

Rick kneels down next to him and holds his hand up for a second, making sure Carl can see it in his peripheral vision, before he starts to rub small circles on Carl’s left shoulder.

 

“I--I thought I could, d-d-do it, dad.” Carl’s whole body shakes and he can only see a blurry outline of Rick through the tears. 

 

“Shh, shh, it’s okay. I’m not mad…” Rick keeps his hand on Carl’s back.

 

“Jus… Jus’ wanted to help. Wanted to help an’ now ‘Livia’s d… d….” Carl falls forward onto his hands and retches onto the wooden floor. 

 

It burns. There wasn’t any food in his stomach, he couldn’t bring himself to eat the spaghetti but now he really wishes he had since it’d be better than puking up stomach acid. Carl knows it’s stupid to get this upset when someone dies, people die all the time. That’s life. He can feel his dad pull his hair back as he starts retching again.

 

“All better?” Rick asks after Carl stops.

 

Carl sits up, determined to stop being so childish. He uses his right hand to wipe away the tears; he’s been favoring his right hand lately, his left side doesn’t seem to work as well anymore. It’s a weakness, it’s dangerous, but he’s not going to draw attention to it. He shakes his hair back into place, covering up the wound.

 

“Yeah.” Carl smiles as best he can.

 

Rick puts his hand back on Carl’s shoulder, then looks down at him, “Want me to help you bandage that back up?” 

 

Carl shakes his head, “I want Michonne to do it. When she gets back.”

 

Rick nods, “I’m not mad. I’m safe, you’re safe, Michonne’s safe, and--” Panic glazes over Rick’s face, he freezes, mouth still open. 

 

Carl covers his dad’s hand with his right hand, “Judith’s safe too, she’s inside.”

 

Rick almost starts crying, but he shakes the thought out of his head; he has to keep it together, for Carl, for everyone else in Alexandria.

 

“Jesus was there too.” Carl offers, trying to change the subject. It works, a little too well. Carl can see murder in his father’s eyes; Rick decides he’s gonna kill that wily sonuvabitch the next time he sees him.

 

“It wasn’t his idea!” Carl backtracks as fast as he can, “He was just… there. Too.” 

 

Rick looks slightly less homicidal, so Carl continues, “And I think he’s gonna rescue Daryl. Sasha asked him to go find Sanctuary.” 

 

“When Michonne gets back, let’s go to Hilltop.” 

 

Carl nods, “It’s probably safer there.”

 

Rick’s voice drops to a more serious tone and he makes sure Carl can see him, “It’s not always gonna be like this.”

 

“You ready to fight yet?” Carl can feel his heart in his throat as he asks, he’s not being fair. He knows he isn’t, but they have to fight eventually.

 

Rick nods, “Yeah, I am.”


End file.
